Ish

A large empire nation in the Southwest area of Atheles.

 

The Empire of Ish has survived for over 1500 years. It was formed by Da’atra Tiria, a powerful warlord who banded all the tribes together. He was from the deep Southern lands of Ish, and he claimed heritage to the gods of the desert. This belief still holds to this day, those of the Tiria family believed to being part gods and those related to him as the trueblooded Ishians.

 

Da’atra and his chosen, Empress Taraherra, were both gifted in magic, and used the life power of slaves to build and solidify their empire. The Wizards of Ish were formed, their power gifted to them by the gods through Da’atra. With the use of vast armies of slaves, Da’atra and his wizards subjugated the other kingdoms of the south. Through magic Da’atra and his wife lived beyond the normal life of humans, and their many children took over positions of power throughout the Empire. The empire was taken over by their first son, Ka’atra, who continued what his father began, and built the city of Ish, which surrounded a large lake in the middle of the southern desert.

 

  • 4134 TM The Empire of Ish (called the Ishian Empire in the North) is formed in what becomes known as the Southlands. The first emperor of Ish is Da’atra Tiria. The Tiria family still rules in Ish now.
  • 4175 Terramahut builds the City of Pathanamitta near what is now the Foothills of Tuk.
  • 4356 The City of Pathanamitta is destroyed by the invaders from Ish. The city sinks into the desert, cursed by Taraherra, the wife of the emperor.
  • 4362 The City of  Raza Buraka is built by the escaped Warlord Tel Amarn. He escaped the destruction of Pathanamitta 6 years before.
  • 4383 Tel Amarn dies and his City of Raza Buraka sinks into the desert falling to the curse of Taraherra also.
  • 4695 Emperor Kalah bans the use of books. During this time many of the ancient texts and tomes are burnt. He also empowers the Desert people of the Jal Dur desert, promising them their own nation if they rid the wildelands of the elves. This leads to a genocide of the wild elves and though they finally push back and defeat the desertmen, they are left weakened and forever scarred.
  • 4699 The Mages of the West are formed. Ruled by three wizards they congregate in a large keep( Keep of Ismaren in the Misty Moor) along the Western coast ( Above the Vale of current times). Distrusted, they spend most of their time in solitude.
  • 4729 The Mages of the West create the Gatestone. Fearing what they have created, they lock it away deep within their keep.
  • 4740 Disagreements lead to war between Selar Dor and Pardalor. This is the beginning of the 30 Year War.
  • 4743 Small border skirmishes between the Ishian Empire and the Westlands begin.
  • 4745 The Ishian Empire begins invading the Westlands.
  • 4757 The Ishian wizards invade the keep of the Mages of the West. Most are killed and many of their books are destroyed. The Gatestone is found and used to transport large groups of the Empires armies through out the West and Northlands.
  • 4769 The Ishian Empire, worn down by years of war, pull their troops back and fortify their borders. 
  • 4977 The beginning of the Fourth Age. Years of hardship follow as the remnants of the Warlock-king’s army are still strong and cause problems all along the North and Westlands. The Ishian Empire becomes solitary, allowing no traffic to and from their country. The process of rebuilding and relearning is slow.
  • 5690 The Ishian Empire opens its borders and allows small bits of traffic. Much of the knowledge of the past is lost, the West and Northlands are no longer under the control of a single king, but instead separate entities. Bordon is still looked upon as protector of the Westlands and an uneasy peace settles over the land.
  • 5698 South Keep, once a single fortress outpost along the Ishian border, starts to become a well known trade town.

 

Wizards of Ish

 

The Wizards of Ish keep their secrets close. Once trained they are never allowed to leave the ranks of the Sorcerers. Of all the magic groups, theirs was the most untouched during the Disappearance and their stronghold in the center of Ish remains as it has for over a thousand years. But whatever knowledge they may have, they keep to themselves.

Much like the rest of the Ishian Empire their policies are strict, and death or slavery is a just punishment. 

 

One of the biggest differences between the Wizards of Ish and the majority of other magic using groups, is their use of slaves as power reservoirs for magic. Powerful wizards can have a stable of slaves, blank eyed and pale, who are kept on leashes as a source of power for their magic.

 

Ansely, Mage of Eredar, Eastlands

 

From the Encyclopedia Atheles

 

“We are all but servants.”

 

Ishian wizards view themselves as conduits of God, and therefore as priests instead of workers of arcane magics. The wizards of Ish call themselves the Najur, an ancient word for servant. They, like most in the Ishian Empire, worship Tanthu-Ra, a sun deity. This is why all in the priesthood wear yellow robes.

They are ranked very high within the culture of Ish, with the Grand Priest even being considered higher than the Emperor.

 

They occupy the Temple of the Sun, a large squat building made of black stone.

 

They take volunteers from the citizenry to give themselves to God. This means that they willingly become vessels for the wizards to take energy from for spell casting. The Najur see them as disciples, who become vessels to the all power of Thanthu-Ra. 

 

The Rebellion – Mages who fight against the tyranny of the Empire and the Wizards of Ish

 

The Rebellion is a rather new group of mages who oppose the rule of the Emperor and the Wizards of Ish. They are hunted mercilessly throughout the Empire, but as magic has reawakened, they have grown in numbers and in power.

 

Secret is their strongest advantage, so very little is known of them.

Jan Melgrin

Merchant trader. Many different items importing and exporting.

Small business, but has ties with the Wanderers.

Jarin Plainswalker

As one of the chief chroniclers in the Druidic Conclave of Culture and Antiquity, I’ve gained a broad view of the world and its cultures – not only as it exists today, but as it has existed through the Ages.  Yet, despite my learning, there is but one fact that I can say here with certainty – that the only constant in this world is change and uncertainty.  This change occurs in all aspects of life and the environments in which life resides . . . and this is the great challenge of the historian.  Climates, flora, fauna, populations, cultures, the stars, civilizations, the seasons, and even consciousness – all of these exist in a state of continuous flux.  Some change is cyclical; some is so slow that it is imperceptible; some is predictable while some is not.  Some change occurs so rapidly that the lives affected have no time to prepare.  And in many cases, no record is left of this change other than nebulous clues from which we can infer the past with varying degrees of accuracy.  Sometimes it’s merely a few scattered bones, turned to stone over the millennia.  Often we’ve found entire cities buried beneath the earth, found evidence of cultures lost long ago to the sea, or newer civilizations merely left in ruin by inhabitants who either migrated, fled, or perished.

Long ago, the Druids had vast libraries of historical books and tomes, chronicling ages past, but during the Great War these depositories of knowledge were lost or destroyed. Before our small circle of historians began compiling historical records, evidence, and accounts into a new central library, people throughout the world knew little more than the sliver of knowledge available to one’s own culture – usually passed down orally through generations.  Today, this is still the case for most.  I find that if I talk to three different people from three distinct cultures, I feel as though I’m hearing of three different worlds altogether, with very little thread to pull them together beyond the same passing of celestial bodies overhead – even even in that regard, interpretations vary.  We all agree there is a sun that rises on one horizon and falls beyond the other, but I’ve found very little agreement on the nature of the sun.  And those interpretations of basic nature have changed even within cultures with the passage of time.

The desert people of Jaldur once believed, according to their elders, that the sun was merely a tear in the veil of darkness, and that if one could get beyond the veil, all would be ablaze.  In other words, we are protected by a perpetually rotating cocoon which protects us from the infinite fire beyond.  The hole, they believed, was like the beginning of a bird hatching from an egg, and eventually the world itself would be born into a world of infinite light.  There were even very precise predictions.  When these predictions failed to become reality, the sun’s nature evolved.  Noting the arc that a thrown object takes as it ascends into the sky and then descends back to the earth, they realized that the sun’s movement is very similar – as if someone were throwing an enormous flaming ball into the sky from one direction, and it was falling in the other direction.  So now they’ve come to believe in giant deities, large enough to throw this flaming ball.  Within this single culture, there is disagreement about whether the thrower is benevolent, playful, or at war.

This is the greatest challenge of the historian.  It would be tempting to merely compile all that we are told into the annals, but we must take into account the unique perspective of the storyteller.  We must consider that time changes stories, and after generations, the stories may bear no resemblance to the reality of the past.  The story belongs more to the teller than to reality itself.  The story becomes infused with the teller’s own ambitions, imaginations, prejudices, preconceptions, misconceptions, mythologies, fears, hopes, and dreams.

And this is equally true of my own telling, here.  As I recount my tale of Elvish encounters, I will be honest and forthcoming.  And yet, despite my best efforts, this work will certainly remain imperfect – colored by my own narrative, and limited by my own narrow perspective, and my own prejudices.  Forgive me if I seem to have a particular fondness for the elves of the woods, as they treated me with utter kindness.  Equally, forgive me if I fail to hide my personal distrust of Oredhel, as they spared no affection for me or my kind, and demonstrated ghastly and unjust brutality before my eyes, laughing as I wept.  I know the reasons for the sharp edge to their culture, and yet I cannot possibly entirely hide my contempt.

And with that, I shall begin my tale.

There are many myths about the elves of the western lands, and in my travels I have collected much of their history and culture.  Given the great mystery surrounding the elves, and the fact they had not been seen by any credible source in generations, I most wanted to see their perspective.  How do they seem themselves?  How do they believe they fit within the massive social constructs of Uteria?  What is their place, and what could be their place in the future, so that we might all coexist in relative peace?

This has been difficult.  Most, myself included, have been taught fables of elves rather than honest history.  These fables are often of a god-like race, with impossible virtues.  Other times, the fables take a much darker tone, designed to scare children into following directions, lest an evil elf kidnap them and cook them into a stew.  The one thing I’ve never found in these fables, however, is accuracy.  We have only just begun to learn the truth of the elves as they once again began to emerge from their forests and plans, becoming once again a part of human culture.

So hopefully these stories, myths, and histories of the elves will help us to gain some insight into one of the most secretive and powerful races in Uteria.

Jarin

5704 Common Era

Jarin Plainswalker – NPC Guide

Jarin Plainswalker is a druid who wanders the lands collecting knowledge and artifacts of the fey races. He is a human from the city of Bordon, though after joining the Druid Council he has spent much of his time on the road. His spheres of magic specialize in healing and earth elements, and his knowledge focus is that of the ancient fey races.

He can be used as a loremaster in your campaign, or a companion for your players to fill in a healer role. His knowledge of ancient races surpasses many, and he is valuable in identifying old items, or deciphering ancient scripts.

Introducing Jarin into your Campaign

Jain plays a large part in the world of Uteria. He is the current chronicler of the Elves and has left the Council in Bordon to travel the roads for seven years while he researches the current cultures of the elves.

In your campaign he can be found anywhere, from a city tavern to a camp along a remote river. His specialty is the fey, and his studies will allow him to help the players if they need lore of the elves.

Jarin is very charismatic and when he passes through he often makes many friends with his animated stories and jokes. He has built a wide network of friends who are willing to help Jarin or anyone named his friend. If Jarin has a flaw it is also in his stories, in that his love for getting all the facts correct can lead to some feeling he is a little long winded when a short answer might be preferred.

Beginnings

Origins of Jarin – From the files of the Druidic Library of Seahaven

Letter from the Druid Council of the West to ArchDruid Erlwyn, of the Grand Council of the North

5707 Fourth Age

In Regards to the newly formed Conclave of Culture and Antiquity,

I am writing to ask that we assign Jarin Plainswalker as the fifth and final member of the Conclave. I have done much thinking on who would complete the group and add different perspectives to our goals. Jarin is a unique individual among the Druids and one of the first of the next generation who will lead the Council into the future. I will provide a brief description of his person and upbringing to illustrate my desire to have him in the Conclave.

He was born near Bordon among the small farms in the plains to the west of the Swordspyne Mountains. When he was the age of 13, a goat on his farm was severely injured and his parents found him nursing the small animal and crying. When they tried to take the animal away for slaughter, he screamed out and as his parent described it a blue light shot forth from their son into the animal. When they regained their sight, the animal’s leg, which had almost been torn from its socket by a wolf, was completely healed. Luckily for young Jarin his parents were not as superstitious as most and they contacted us about their son. We here in Bordon were fascinated to find such a young person possessing the innate ability to heal. He was brought to the Grove here and started his tutelage immediately.

Though he showed immense talent, he was also very headstrong and often was found exploring the mountains and wilderness around Bordon rather than attending to his studies. After he graduated from apprenticeship, he immediately took to the field studying the Westlands for ancient sources of magic. This made him rather unpopular among the Arch Council here, though his devotion to finding out about the past drove him to continue. During his middle twenties, he spent much of his time near the Town of Byrn, exploring deep into the swamps to the West of Kaelnor forest, looking for the “Keep of the Mages”, which according to most myths existed there in the past Age. With Byrn’s relative proximity to the Vale, Jarin became very fond of the Elflings, which lead to his many inquiries up North to you of past writings about the other races of Uteria. Since the Elflings are one of the few others races to have open and friendly contact with humans since the last Age, Jarin hoped to find a way to open relationships with the other races. He was especially interested in the Elves, seeing their connection to magic and the past Age.

I hope to assign him to look deeper into the stories behind the elves and bring us more concrete knowledge of who they are and what they have been doing since they shut themselves away in the different corners of Uteria.

Even the formation of this Conclave has been difficult due to the Arch Druid Council here, and adding an outsider to what they consider a dangerous avenue of research, has led me to a dead end.

If you were to send word to the Council here, it would go a long way in allowing me to form the Conclave as would best suit its needs, rather than the Arch Council’s needs.

May Arias Bless you,

Irphazan

A Brief History of Jarin

Jarin spent his childhood as the middle child on a farm, uneventful until his bond to magic was revealed. Once accepted into the Druidic Order he spent his adolescence studying in Bordon. He was a difficult student, often spending more time outside the city walls exploring than with his books. As his teachers learned about his personality and adjusted his studies to be less academic and more hands on, he excelled in classes and was sent into the field as an apprentice to Master Ensin. Ensin was a druid who shared Jarin’s wanderlust and together they spent a few years exploring the dangerous swamps in the west. After Ensin’s untimely death to a Unman’s arrow, he was admitted to a special group who were to try and unlock the mysteries of the last age.

Though many welcome Jarin when he is around, he has no true home. All he owns he carries with him, though he often leaves copies of his journals and sketches in various hiding places along the road.

Description

Jarin is a thin man, slightly shorter than normal, though fast and quick witted. He has a contagious smile, and his eyes have had laugh lines since he was a young adult. He is just as quick to tell a story as he is to sit and listen for hours. He has little use for expensive belongings, but he loves well crafted and artistically intricate items. One belonging he holds dear is a bone handled dagger given to him by his old Master, Ensin.

Becoming Friends with Jarin

It is quite easy to win over Jarin, though to really gain anything besides surface information, Jarin must trust the players not to misuse the information.

Encounter with Jarin

Willow Tree Inn – Byrn

Jarin is sitting by the fireplace telling a story of the swamps to the northwest. His has a small gathering of patrons listening intently.

“The mud seeped into our boots, and pulled at them as we stepped. Bloodflies swarmed around us, their incessant buzzing making this miserable place even worse. But somewhere out here, somewhere there is the Keep of the Magi.

Kaelvari

The Kaelvari, the Forest Elves

The Kaelvarian Elves are the basis for much of the lore that humans cling to about the elves of Uteria. They are tall and exude strength, but dislike confrontation and aggression. They live deep in the woods, a solitary culture that is self-sufficient and peaceful. They revere nature, and despite my initial impressions of power, they believe deeply in being in harmony with the world around them rather than its masters. Music and art are very important to the Kaelvari and this is reflected in all facets of their culture.

They have lived in the same part of Uteria for centuries, their settlements based around the deepest regions of the Kaelnor forest, in groves of the largest Ergan trees. Very few outsiders over the long years have been allowed to visit these hidden cities.

The Lands of the Kaelvari

The Kaelvari elves live in the center of the Westlands, residing in the dense Kaelnor forest, south of Ferryport. There are many superstitions and stories about the forest, with only two paths that travelers frequent to head south. One runs through the center of the forest, following a valley which is bare of trees and foliage. I, myself, had traveled the forest extensively looking to contact the elves. This was before the liberation of Ferryport and the Kaelvari had not yet emerged from the forests to make contact with our kind. The locals claimed that the eastern part of the forest was the residence of the elves, while the western part, which turns to swamplands, was inhabited by twisted monsters.

Kaldrath

Kaldrath was an eldar who lead a genocide against his own people for their abuse of the peoples of Uteria.

The Story of Kaldrath

Kalrath’s father, Jariaan, was of high birth in the ranks of the eldar. He did not believe if the eldar’s practices of keeping the elves as slaves and servants. Later in his life he fought the rulers of the eldar to free the elves and to consider them as equals. The eldar kicked him from their society. The eldar felt they were doing him a great justice by not outright killing him. He sought refuge among the elves and their independant smaller city, but he was stoned and ran out of the city. There he died alone in the wilderness, forsaken by his race and those he tried to help. Kaldrath never forgot this. His hatred of of the eldar grew until he left to form his armies to destroy them all. He kept the elves as slaves, feeling pity enough to not kill them, but wanted to punish them forever for what they did to his father.

He fought among the high courts of the eldar to try and free the elves, but they reminded him of the fate of his father. He left the eldar cities and created a refuge high in the mountains of the north. There he built his army, from recruited elves or summoned creatures from the beyond, he plotted the war against his people and the freeing of the elves.

Kaldrath was defeated by the elves and imprisoned in a magical tomb. The tomb is in the limbo between the Navirim and Uteria.

Kira

Kira

A kira is a small mammal that many call elf monkeys, since they live in the Kaelnor forest and have long pointed ears. At dusk you can often hear their calls ringing out from the edges of the forest, and as it gets darker, you can see the last rays of the sun reflected in their bright yellow eyes.

 

They are only about a foot tall if they stand up straight, and their soft white fur covers their whole body. They are communal, living with the same group their whole life.

 

Kira

Challenge Rating: 1

Size: Small

Type: Animal

Initiative: +2

 

Defense

Hit Points: 13

Armor Class: 15, touch 14, flat footed 12 (+3 dex, +1 natural, +1 size)

Saves: Fort +3 Ref +6 Will +2

Weaknesses: –

 

Offense

Speed: 30’, climb 30’

Base Attack: +2

Melee: Bite +2 (1d4)

Ranged: –

Special Attacks: –

Sanity Effects: –

 

Statistics

Abilities: STR 10, DEX 17, CON 10, INT 2, WIS 12, CHA 8

Skills: Acrobatics +4, Athletics +0,  Awareness +1, Endurance +0, Knowledge –, Persuasion -1, Spellcraft –, Survival +1, Thievery +3

Talents: Sidestep

Special Qualities:

 

Ecology

Environment: Forest

Organization: Solitary, Pair, Gathering

 

Treasure: Standard

 

Knights of the White Eagle

Also Known as Knight Templars, Knights of Valetta

The Knights were formed by a faction of the Church of the One during the 30 year war. They consisted this time of nobles and land owners along the northern Border Mountains. As the war wore on, these Knights started accepting others among their ranks and separated themselves from the church. Their beliefs became more strict, and they started to blame the problems of the war on magic and those who supported it. After the war they denounced magic of all kinds and became an isolated society. They slowly lost power and prestige over the years, but in the current day, some people have started to turn to them for help. They have started to fill out their ranks and have even expanded north to Ensam.

Primary base- Kingdom of ValettaNorthlands

Kowal

Kowal, the Grey City, is a large settlement in the Eastlands. It is the capital of a city-state that claims a large swath of land along the Weron River. It was an independent city-state separate from Endamas and Uthgard until the latter part of 5707 when it joined the Uthgard Kingdom.

The city of Kowal has reigned over its barren lands in the East since the end of the Great War. Ruled by the Zadeku family for years beyond memory, the city has been content with its own business for hundreds of years.

The City of Kowal

  • Statistics: Crime 6; Danger 5; Economy 3; Law 5; Knowledge 3; Magic 1
  • Highest Stat is 10, lowest 1
  • Size: City, Seat of Barony
  • Government: Aristocracy
  • Economic System: Feudal capitalist
  • Population: 10,800

 

 

The new banner of Kowal, instituted in 5707 after rejoining the Uthgard Kingdom.

Old Banners:

Banner of Kowal during the prominence of the Red Guard. The red background symbolized the power of the tower and its piety.

 

Wards

  • Towerview
  • Westgarden: Westgarden grew as the city became a manufacturing hub during the 3rd age. This area became quite bohemian and flourished. When the plague hit, this ward suffered the most. Now, many buildings sit empty. The Tower still taxes this area, which has led to mass vacancies and the growth of the Squats.
  • Squats: Small square buildings on the city’s edge were once the grand idea of the city to house newcomers as they settled in the city for jobs. Once they had earned some cash, these newcomers would move to another ward. As the city declined, this became a section of town that was neglected and forgotten. The Tower did not ever tax these dwellings, so they grew and became a ward in their own right. Now people live here to avoid the taxes and oversight of the other wards.
  • Middleborough
  • Grand Heights
  • Woodward
  • Oldtown
  • Dworvtown
  • Chimneys
  • Waterfront “The Houses”

Places of Interest

  1. The Walled Tower
  2. Darkwinter Tavern
  3. Sascha’s Storehouse
  4. The Den (Wanderer’s Guild)
  5. Ash Cloud Theatre
  6. Factory District
  7. Dworv Town
  8. Melgrin’s Warehouse
  9. Shen’s Mansion
  10. The Broken Chip
  11. Marn’s Refuge
  12. The Cats Herbs
  13. Bizarre Bazaar
  14. M Bar
  15. The Kowal Library
  16. Kowal Barracks
  17.  
  18. The Greystone
  19. The Druid Grove of Thay

The lands surrounding Kowal

 

Organizations:

About:

  • 2/3 population died in first plague.
  • low population.
  • Magic is punishable by death.
  • Mass graves all along outer border.
  • War with tyr hurt city
  • Ghul raids make trade hard

Industries

Kowal produces a lot of corn during the summer season, feeding its citizens, and allowing trade with our settlements. But it’s main export is metal. Before the great war giant foundries were established and Kowal provided much of the arms and armament for Uthgard. This factories and know how have survived, and Kowal’s factories work day and night smelting ore and producing metalworks for Tyr, Uthgard, and Endamas. While the roads in and out of Kowal are dangerous, they are guarded well for incoming shipments of ore and exported goods. It is a rough life in the factories of Kowal, but one can scrape by with a decent living by working in them.

Laws

  • People own property, but must pay the lord a tax on land and income.
  • Magic is forbidden and punishable by death.
  • Thievery is punishable first by loss of a finger, second two fingers, and third by the loss of a hand.
  • Gambling is legal, but in a house of gambling there is a 50% tax on winnings.
  • If accused, both the accuser and the accused are treated the same until the trial. The accused must prove innocence, not be proven guilty.
  • For witchcraft, older methods of torture may be used.

There is the Steel Guard for the Baron’s household, City Guard for people, overseen by the Sheriff, and the Red Guard, a church-backed organization. Magistrates rule the court system and are appointed or dismissed by the Baron.

Landscape

Weron River to the south. Lesh Forest to the East. Urtgen forest to the North West

Kowal lands including all townships and villages.

Townships, settlements, and villages:

 

Locales Alphabetical:

 

Groups Alphabetical:

 

Personalities Alpahbetical:

Major Events

  • 5703 – The Baron’s son, Arnexi, returns from Eredar where he has been silenced for being a Ravager.
  • 5704 – The Red Night. Novro 27th. After a riot and fire in the city, Kowal falls under martial law, and the Red Guard go house to house looking for mages.
  • 5706 – Catastrophe of the Greystone. The Graystone is burned to the ground in a strange event that many can not remember clearly.

Kowal Gaming Resources:

Maps:

Adventures: